The Early Mapping of Hawai'I

By Gary L. Fitzpatrick

Book Id: WPLBN0002096779
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 50.14 MB
Reproduction Date: 5/9/2011

Title:	The Early Mapping of Hawai'I
Author:	Gary L. Fitzpatrick
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Non Fiction, Geography, Anthropology, Recreation, Hawaiian Geography
Collections:	Authors Community, History
Historic Publication Date:	1986
Publisher:	Editions, Ltd.

Member Page:	Hale Kuamoʻo Hawaiian Language Center
Citation APA MLA Chicago L. Fitzpatric, B. G. (1986). The Early Mapping of Hawai'I. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.cc/

Description
The cartographic history of Hawaii began with the arrival of Captain James Cook, the famous explorer and chartmaker, in 1778. Between then and the mid-19th century, visitors to HawaiI produced a rich assortment of charts and maps depicting the shores, harbors, towns, and volcanoes of the various islands. This volume traces the story of the mapping of HawaiI during the pivotal years in which the indigenous society was radically transformed by the peoples and ideas imported from the West. Foreigners introduced the concept of mapmaking to HawaiI, and they made maps of the islands to satisfy the needs of maritime commerce, missionary endeavors, and scientific investigations. Nearly seventy maps, complemented by more than twenty views, portraits, and illustrations, are reproduced here. Included are many charts and harbor plans produced by such famous figures of naval history as James Cook, William Bligh, George Vancouver, Otto von Kotzebue, Urey Lisiansky, Jean Francois de la Pérouse, Louis Duperrey, and Charles Wilkes. These richly reproduced charts document the early geography of Honolulu, Lahaina, Hilo, and Kailua—the most important urban areas of modern Hawaii—as well as many other bays and harbors in the islands. A major segment of The Early Mapping of Hawaii examines the contributions of American missionaries in the field of mapping. Mostly produced at the seminary school at Lahainaluna, Maui, these maps introduced geographical education into the Hawaiian school system. The missionaries and their Hawaiian students also produced a landmark map of the islands in 1838, one of the most significant maps in Hawaiian history. Hawaiian volcanoes have been the major laboratory for the study of volcanism for nearly 150 years. Reproduced in this volume are the earliest general and detailed maps of kilauea, Mauna Loa, Haleakala, and the vestiges of volcanic features on oahu. Mr. Fitzpatrick examines the historic maps of Hawaii from several perspectives. He discusses the people who made them, explains the collaborative process of making charts, interprets what the maps show, and relates the early maps to the documents which they accompanied. The mapping of Hawaii is shown to be an interesting and revealing part of the history of Hawaii.

Excerpt
The Early Mapping of Hawaii is an overview of the history of the mapping of Hawaii from the time of European discovery in 1778 through the mid-19th century. Mapmaking was not an art indigenous to Hawaii; foreigners were responsible for the introduction of mapmaking in the islands. For well over seventy years, mapping in Hawaii was largely carried out by Europeans or Americans, and the early maps of Hawaii were mostly made to serve the needs of those foreigners.